Title: Thrawn: Treason
Canon Timeline Placement: Before Episode IV, between Star Wars Rebels seasons 3 and 4, approximately 1 BBY
Length: 24 chapters, 333 pages
Welcome to our review of Star Wars canon novels for StarWars-fans.com. While this is not intended to be a full-blown, thorough book review, we do hope to give you enough information – but not too much – about each canon Star Wars publication we read. Again, we will try to avoid spoilers but read at your own risk…
Thrawn: Treason was released in July 2019, and is the third canon novel about Grand Admiral Thrawn after the original book by Timothy Zahn entitled Thrawn in July 2017, and Thrawn: Alliances in July 2018. The book takes place about a year before the battle of Yavin and prior to the end of the Star Wars: Rebels TV series. In fact, if you follow the Rebels series closely, this book fits in perfectly concluding Season 3 and just before Season 4 of the Rebels series. The public excerpt:
“If I were to serve the Empire, you would command my allegiance.”
Such was the promise Grand Admiral Thrawn made to Emperor Palpatine at their first meeting. Since then, Thrawn has been one of the Empire’s most effective instruments, pursuing its enemies to the very edges of the known galaxy. But as keen a weapon as Thrawn has become, the Emperor dreams of something far more destructive.
Now, as Thrawn’s TIE defender program is halted in favor of Director Krennic’s secret Death Star project, he realizes that the balance of power in the Empire is measured by more than just military acumen or tactical efficiency. Even the greatest intellect can hardly compete with the power to annihilate entire planets.
As Thrawn works to secure his place in the Imperial hierarchy, his former protégé Eli Vanto returns with a dire warning about Thrawn’s homeworld. Thrawn’s mastery of strategy must guide him through an impossible choice: duty to the Chiss Ascendancy, or fealty to the Empire he has sworn to serve. Even if the right choice means committing treason.
Thrawn: Treason is the 3rd in a series of Star Wars books which have had me as a fan, as excited about Star Wars as any non-movie could. In fact, given the direction of Episodes VIII and IX, maybe more excited. The development of Grand Admiral Thrawn’s character in these books and in the Rebels series is fantastic, and Treason continues this while somewhat testing Mitth’raw’nuruodo, aka Thrawn, and his allegiances. When the book first arrived I did not get into it as much as the others, mainly due to my real life schedule, and I put off reading it for several months. However after receiving Thrawn: Ascendancy – Chaos Rising in the mail I decided to pick it up again and this time around I had a hard time putting it down. I rank it as my second favorite of the three original canon Thrawn novels, running neck and neck with Thrawn: Alliances, both receiving a 8.5 out of 10.